My Office Practice, Dental Health

Ask Dr. David

A: Thanks for asking and for the opportunity to share where I come from when working with a patient. At my clinic, I practice family medicine. That is, I am a general practitioner. I treat anything and everything. I want to emphasize that I treat the patient, not the disease, and I look at things holistically, as part of a bigger picture. This is also called Restorative Medicine, as we seek to rebuild the body. I particularly enjoy custom designing life-long health programs for each person I see. The long-term results of this approach are wonderful. Most of my patients have never developed cancer, heart disease (or any cardio-vascular disease for that matter), Alzheimer’s or diabetes—after being on their program. That is a gratifying track record.

I see many people who have been told their condition is incurable, terminal or unheard of. I don’t specialize as my approach is to treat the whole person no matter what the condition they come to me with. My patients often feel that I am their last chance, or the first doctor to tell them exactly what is going on in their body. While seeing anyone improve their life is gratifying, I like working with cancers of all types, sexual health (both men & women), cardio-vascular diseases, thyroid conditions and detoxifying the body. The work with cleaning out the colon (bowel) is particularly important. As an added bonus, many of my patients report that our visits seem to open them up spiritually and changes their lives (and their loved ones) physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I believe that many of my patients are at a crossroads in life when they get to my office, and the timing is amazing. I consider this a major blessing and am honored to be a part of this journey with them. It is very rewarding and rejuvenating to practice healthcare this way. Oh, and I try to invoke a sense of humor no matter what…

Q: Does Naturopathic Medicine encompass dental health?

A: Yes, absolutely! The health of our teeth has a direct bearing on the body’s health. For more information, see the work of Dr. Weston Price, a great dentist that studied the relationship between teeth and health in many cultures. There are two websites: Price-Pottenger Foundation, and the Weston Price Foundation. We use co-enzyme q-10 for gum disease (bleeding or receding gums, periodontal diseases), Vitamin C & bioflavonoids to strengthen capillaries & blood vessels, minerals & electrolytes to strengthen the skeletal system (which the teeth are part of), and several different remedies to fight infections, germs and bacteria. My dentist sees amazing changes when “Peelu Dental Fibers” are used daily. This is made from a tree in Africa and comes in the form of a tooth powder. I recommend it to my patients, or if the taste is objectionable, I recommend several other toothpastes that are not quite as effective but are the best I have found besides the Peelu. My current favorite is PerioBrite toothpaste. It is nice to alternate between the two, using one in the morning and one in the evening. Why is the integrity of your teeth so important? Because that is where digestion begins—in the mouth! Dr. Jensen taught me that carrots & apples are nature’s toothbrushes. He said that if we eat apples & carrots every day in our lives, particularly during childhood, we would have much stronger jaws, mostly eliminate the need for braces and dramatically reduce cavities Dr. Jensen also taught that by following this advice, we would have less TMJ problems when older, have healthier gums and substantially increase our overall health. Western “civilized” countries have a diet that is too soft. Our bread, rice (white vs. whole grain), and many other food preferences are all too soft. While we are on the subject of teeth, I recommend that my patients avoid fluoride. It is poisonous to the body, particularly to the liver. It accumulates slowly in the body. There is natural fluorine, a mineral, in our food & water. Sugar, as in soda, fruit juices and candy is what causes cavities! For more information on fluoridation, read this essay: Fluoridation, by Wade Frazier. As for tongue cleaning or brushing, the best way to have a healthy tongue (I do tongue diagnosis on every patient), is to have a healthy digestive system, including the eliminative system (colon). Brushing the gunk off your tongue doesn’t address the root of the problem. After eight weeks on their program, most of my patients have very healthy tongues. You can apply tea tree oil, Ipsab® herbal treatment, myrrh, or one of many other remedies available at your local health food store, on your gums or into your toothpaste. Change your toothbrush frequently, at least every three months (buy an economy pack!), and only use ones labeled soft. Gently brush your gums also. Don’t underestimate the importance of oral health and the significant role it plays in your overall health. By following this advice, you can have whiter, brighter, healthier teeth in no time.